Swordfish – U.S. Atlantic & Gulf of Mexico, Longline

Swordfish are large, migratory fish found in temperate and tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. They grow reasonably fast and mature quickly. In the Atlantic Ocean, Swordfish are at a healthy abundance and fishing levels on this species are sustainable.

Longlines are the most common gear for catching Swordfish worldwide. They result in large quantities of bycatch, including threatened or endangered species such as sea turtles, whales, and sharks. In the U.S. however, several management regulations are in place to reduce impacts on bycatch species.

When fishing for Swordfish, longlines do not typically contact bottom habitats. However, because these fisheries catch several top-predator species, there is some concern that these fisheries may affect ocean food webs and ecosystems.

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Fish Key:

Species has a combination of problems such as overfishing, high bycatch, and poor management.

Some problems exist with this species' status or catch methods, or information is insufficient for evaluating.

Species is relatively abundant, and fishing methods cause little damage to habitat and other wildlife.

A fishery targeting this species has been certified as sustainable and well managed to the Marine Stewardship Council's environmental standard. Learn more at http://www.msc.org.

These fish contain levels of mercury or PCBs that may pose a health risk to adults and children. Our source of information is http://seafood.edf.org/. We also recommend that you check local advisories.